“Every class you take, be it small or large, offers you something. It is up to you to figure out what that something is,” says Eric Korn, a 2012 graduate from JMU’s Master of Business Administration program. As a recent graduate of the program, Korn realizes the benefits of pursuing an MBA, particularly as a business owner.

Korn received his undergraduate degree in Economics from JMU in 2004. In 2009, he launched his successful online firearm education company, American Firearms Training—a company that offers online instructional courses on gun safety. After a few years of decent business, Korn realized that he did not just want his company to survive—he wanted it to thrive.

His inspiration doubled after meeting JMU’s Director of MBA programs Dr. Michael Busing who encouraged Korn to pursue his MBA at JMU. Hoping to enhance the success of his company, Korn enrolled in the program. He says, “I wanted to develop the knowledge-base and skillsets necessary to run a successful business. And it was great—every week, I would learn something in my courses that I could directly apply to my own business.”

For Korn, accounting was one such course. He says, “The MBA accounting course is one of the most useful courses in the program. It was one of those classes that I would learn something on a Wednesday night, go home, and apply it to my company the same night.”

One of Korn’s most valued experiences in the MBA program was the capstone trip to Germany. At JMU, all MBA students have the opportunity to take a 10-day trip to experience the international business climate. In previous years, students have traveled to China, India, and various countries in Europe. Korn says, “The majority of each day was spent visiting various businesses around Germany. During our time there, we were able to actually observe the ways international businesses function. The opportunity was unlike any other.”

One major takeaway from his experiences is the importance of networking. Korn advises students to “spend a lot of time with your colleagues in the program. It’s important to stay connected with them.”

As an advocate of the program, Korn encourages students to think about pursuing an MBA in Business Administration, though he emphasizes that prospective students must have a passion for learning and the motivation to grow as business professionals. “The time commitment and work involved is very rigorous and it takes a dedicated student to get the most out of the program,” says Korn. “Ultimately, you reap what you sow. The program is both fantastic and rewarding—and with encouraging faculty and support from Busing, you can’t go wrong.”